My Brother's Keeper
by Aly K
Summary: Dean always protected Sam. He would never hurt him. But this wasn't Dean.
1. The Fight

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the characters so far (But, boy, would I like those brothers). I am not making any money off of this (But, boy, do I wish I was).

Warnings: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

I figure that Sam is about 16 and Dean is 20 right now.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 1: The Fight

Sam quickly pushed the door open, not bothering to close it behind him. Dean and his father weren't far behind and he didn't want to have another confrontation. Getting to his room and losing himself in an English essay was the only thing on his mind at the moment. The teenager just needed to forget this last hunt. They all just needed time to forget.

This month they were living in a small house on the outskirts of town. The place was said to be haunted, and was, therefore, cheap. It consisted of a kitchen, a small bathroom, a large room that served as a dining and living room, a bedroom, and a loft. Dean and Sam slept in the loft, while their father used the bedroom, not only to sleep but to store all of his notes and supplies. It was the loft that Sam was heading for, knowing that if he got up there no one else would follow for at least a few hours. He wasn't that lucky.

As Sam got to the foot of the stairs a callused hand landed on his shoulder and pulled him around. His father was standing in front of him, an angry look on his face.

"I told you that we weren't done." John Winchester stated

Sam threw his arms out to the side, "I already said that I was sorry! What more do you want from me?"

"'Sorry' doesn't mean anything when we're on a hunt, Sam! Dean could be dead! And do you think 'sorry' would have brought him back?"

"I wasn't there! What could I have done?" Sam demanded. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dean saunter into the kitchen, ignoring the rest of his family.

"You should have checked on him!"

"I did, but it had already gotten to him."

"You're supposed to be paying attention! We watch each other's backs. How am I supposed to trust you out there if you can't even hold up your end of that?"

"Then leave me behind! I'm sure you and Dean will be a hell of a lot safer!" Sam yelled before he fled up the stairs.

John called for his youngest to come back, but it was no use. Sam rarely listened to him these days. It was frustrating. He wished, not for the first time, that Sam was more like Dean. It would make things so much easier, for all of them.

By this time Dean had come back in, holding a beer in each hand. He held one of the cold bottles out to his father.

John took the offered drink and then gestured to its opened twin in his son's hand, "Think you should be drinking that?"

Dean looked down at the beer with blank eyes, before looking back to his father, asking, "Why?"

"You were out for a couple of minutes. Could have hit your head. Maybe you oughta hold off."

"I'm fine." Dean assured him, taking a swig from the bottle. Both men moved into the living room and sat down on the couch that had come with the house. A comfortable silence filled the room as the two hunters settled in.

Sound came with John's sigh, "Guess I should stay back from the Marley place, huh?" He felt a slight twinge of anger at the whole situation. Chris Marley, a friend of a friend had asked John to come up to a cabin he had just bought. He was having problems of the supernatural kind and wanted him to do a little bit of ghost busting. What had sealed the deal was his willingness to pay. It was an easy job he had planned on doing by himself.

Dean was shaking his head, "Nope. We need the money."

"Dean I can't leave you here alone when we don't know what just happened to you."

"Look. I'm fine. Not a scratch on me. You don't need to worry."

'_Yes I do. I'm your father_.' ran through John's head, but never made it to his lips. Things like that never did, not in the Winchester family. However he did ask, "What about Sam?"

"I can handle Sam."

John stared at his half empty beer. They really did need the money. Credit card fraud could only get them so far. He nodded, "Okay." He got to his feet, putting the beer down for Dean to finish. He continued, "I'll be heading out early. Call my cell if you need me."

"'Kay. 'Night dad." He watched his father leave, letting an eery smile spread over his face. He wouldn't need his father. He knew exactly how to teach Sam a lesson.

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. I know its kind of a short chapter, sorry. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	2. Alone

A/N: I can't tell you how amazing it was to get on the computer and find so many reviews. It mad my day! I love you all so much!

SPUFFYSHIPPER: I'm glad you like this even though it isn't the style you like. Hope it will continue to peek your interest.

RED HARDY, KOKOMOCALIFORNIA: I love when people guess about the story! Please continue to throw your ideas at me.

LADY EMILY: I'm so glad the summary hooked you. I was a little worried that it wasn't good.

BANSHEE QUEEN, CELIANE, JAKESDREAM, JESSIE101, JRAISMINE, SHARPSHOOTER626, ALYSSA, THRU TERRY'S EYES, KEB1991, SAMMYSGURL: You guys are all so amazing. I love the reviews and I'm so happy you like the story so far. I really appreciate you guys taking your time to write a few words. They don't mean any less than questions. Please continue. It keeps me going.

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or any of the characters so far (But, boy, would I like those brothers). I am not making any money off of this (But, boy, do I wish I was).

Warnings: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 2: Alone

It was late when Dean finally made his way up the stairs, but Sam was still awake. He watched his brother's dark outline strip down to a t-shirt and boxers before climbing into bed. He waited a few minutes, getting up the courage to ask, "Are you okay, Dean?" When his brother didn't answer he asked again, "Dean?'

"I'm trying to sleep Sam." came his brother's annoyed grumble.

"I just...I wanted to say that I was sorry. For what happened today. I should have been paying more attention." Sam apologized sincerely. He felt a deep guilt about what had happened. Thinking back he was surprised about how his feelings came out quite the opposite when he had been fighting with his father. Now he knew that the older man had been right. Dean could have died while Sam was just in the next room. He was relieved that he had found his brother unconscious instead of dead.

"You gotta learn from your mistakes Sam."

Sam threw that around his head for a moment. He imagined what it would be like without Dean and he shuddered. He nodded to himself in the dark, "I will."

"I know you will."

Sam had slept off and on that night, his nightmares breaking up whatever rest he may have found. The hope that he would get more was quashed when his father woke up. He layed in bed, listening to the quiet sounds of his father getting ready. It wasn't until he heard the engine of the Impala start that he got up himself. He silently grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of jeans and headed downstairs to take a shower.

The sun was barely up, casting a pale blue light over the kitchen as Sam made his way into it. He was making toast when he heard Dean behind him.

"Mornin' Sam." Dean said with a smile.

"How are you feeling?" Sam asked, turning to look at his brother. He seemed to be fine, there weren't any marks and his color looked good. If Sam didn't know about the day before he would have had no reason to ask the question.

"I'm fine. Just fine."

"Good." Sam replied. Taking his brother's words to be true, he returned his attention to the toaster. As the toast popped up he was suddenly grabbed from behind and thrown forcefully into the wall!

Sam's first thought went to how they could have missed something when they had exorcized the house. That was before he saw his brother advancing on him.

Dean didn't stop until his chest was pressed against Sams' and he had his little brother sandwiched between his body and the wall.

Sam's emotions quickly turned to confusion, "Dean, what the hell!"

Dean's reply was a punch to the face, the force of it making Sam's head bounce off of the wall. He caught the younger boy as his knees buckled and threw him onto his stomach in the middle of the room. As Sam started to scramble to his feet his brother landed a knee into his back and twisted his right arm behind him.

Sam groaned through clenched teeth, "Dean!" He tried to buck the older boy off of him, but while their height was the same, their weight and build were not. Dean had him beat there.

"Shut up, Sammy." Dean, tired of his brothers' movements, grabbed the shaggy head of hair and pulled up before slamming it down into the hard floor beneath.

Sam yelped as his head hit the floor. Soon after, the nightmare faded into darkness.

The first thing Sam became aware of was extreme dizziness and nausea. The pain quickly followed. He opened his eyes, but quickly closed them. The bright sunlight streaming through the windows was too much for his battered head to take. He groaned, feeling the vibrations, rather than hearing them through the sound of his rushing blood. He attempted to feel out the damage, but found that he couldn't move his hands. They were being tightly held behind his back.

He opened his eyes and looked around, ignoring the pounding in his head. He found himself in the front room of the house. The door leading outside was in front of him and he could feel the steps of the stairs digging into his back.

'_What the hell is goin' on?_' he wondered. Then he remembered. Dean had done this. His always protective older brother had beat the crap out of him and then tied him to the railing of the staircase. No. It was something that looked like Dean. Someone that walked and talked like his brother, but couldn't possibly be his brother. There was something wrong with him, and Sam need to figure out what it was, and help his brother.

The man in question suddenly appeared in Sam's line of vision. Dean smirked at his younger brother, "Finally awake, sleeping beauty?"

Sam's breath caught in his throat. This couldn't be happening, it had to be a nightmare. It was easy to imagine something taking over his brother when he was alone, but now... He couldn't believe that this was real. Dean would never allow himself hurt his brother, even if something else was in control. He was too strong. This feeling found its roots in their childhood, when Dean would protect his brother at any cost, even if it would mean getting hurt, even killed, himself.

"Earth to Sammy!" Dean said, snapping his fingers in front of Sam's face. "What are ya thinking about, little brother?"

That snapped Sam out of his thoughts and back to the reality of what was happening. Whether he liked it or not, this was real and he would have to deal with it. Getting up a sliver of courage he whispered, "You're not my brother."

Dean scoffed, "Excuse me?"

"You're. Not. Dean." Sam stated with more confidence. By now his eyes were narrowed and his body tense, waiting for whatever was to come.

"Sammy-"

"Go to Hell."

The back of Dean's hand landed sharply against his cheek and rocked his head to the side. Through the black spots Sam heard his brother's voice, "Watch your mouth!"

The tone of Dean's voice made Sam think of their father. The man was strict and that made itself apparent in his words. The only difference was the pain. Their father had never hit them, no matter how angry he had gotten. Sam suddenly wanted his father. He wanted the older hunter to take this out of his hands and fix it. Sam's fear spiked when he remembered that his father was gone, and wouldn't be back for a few days. He was truly on his own, alone with something that could hurt him in more ways than one.

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	3. A Promise

A/N: I love you guys so much. I just love reading my mail now because there are so many reviews! It makes me so happy all day! I'm really glad that you guys think I have a good feel for the characters. That was what I was most afraid of because I haven't seen the first four or five episodes. I hope you guys continue to enjoy it.

P.S. Please continue to keep guessing about what is going to happen. I just love it.

For disclaimer see first chapter.

Warnings: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 3: A Promise

_"Dean?" _

_"Yeah, Sammy?"_

_"Are you okay?"_

_"I'm good, little man."_

_"Does it hurt?"_

_"Not so much."_

_"I'm scared."_

_"Why?"_

_"You were crying."_

_"I was not."_

_"Were too! You were crying 'cause it hurt."_

_"Yeah, it hurt Sammy. Why are you scared?"_

_"I don't wanna get hurt like you."_

_"Oh, and here I was thinking that you were scared for me!"_

_"Dean!"_

_"You won't get hurt Sammy."_

_"How do ya know it won' happen when I start hunting with you and daddy?"_

_"Because I won't let it."_

_"You let it hurt you."_

_"That's different."_

_"How."_

_"You ask too many questions."_

_"Dean!"_

_"It just won't okay. I'll protect you."_

_"You will?"_

_"Yeah. I'll never let anything happen to you."_

_"You promise?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Really?"_

_"There you go with the questions again..."_

Sam groaned, trying to shake the memory from his mind. He wasn't sure why, but he was feeling as though Dean had let him down. He broke his promise for the first time in ten years. Dean wasn't protecting him. Granted it was Dean himself doing the harm, controlled by something else. His head knew that. However, his heart didn't. It wanted his hero, not the monster his brother had become.

It had been a few hours since he woke up and all he wanted was to sleep again. His body ached from Dean's last fit of anger. The older boy had been trying to show him all of the reasons why he was Dean, but Sam wouldn't listen. He held firmly to the fact that Dean would never willingly hurt him.

His stubbornness frustrated Dean enough to take it out on the cause. He mostly used his legs to kick at the younger boy.

Sam had tried to curl into himself to protect his ribs and stomach, but he didn't have much luck with his arms behind him. He bit back a scream as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. It stole his breath away and left him gasping, but with every breath he took the pain only increased.

Dean had noticed the cracking sound that Sam hadn't. It made him stop immediately. He knelt down, uncurling Sam from his self-made ball. He ran his finger along the younger boy's ribs, a genuine look of concern on his face.

Sam watched in confusion. He sat still, knowing he couldn't stop Dean.

Dean stopped himself when, simultaneously, he felt a bone move and heard Sam groan. He sat back on his hunches, "Shit!"

Taking small breaths and getting over the pain, Sam continued to watch Dean. He wasn't sure what to think anymore. Did this Dean look-a-like actually feel sorry for him?

No.

"Dad is gonna kill me if I have to take your ass to a hospital." Dean grumbled as he got up and left the room.

John sighed. He ached all over. One of the spirits had gotten the drop on him and thrown him into a wall. He recovered quickly, however, and toasted the bones before there was another incident. All he wanted know was to get home and sleep.

The one thing he wasn't looking forward to was Sam. He just didn't know how to handle the boy anymore. John wished he was still their little Sammy, when holding him could fix any problem. The boy who idolized his father and big brother. John missed that.

Maybe staying in town a few more days wouldn't hurt any.

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	4. Failure

A/N: Again, you guys just amaze me. You are all so nice and I haven't gotten a bad review yet. I am just on top of the world right now!

For disclaimer see first chapter.

Warnings: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 4: Failure

Sam didn't know how long he sat there, leaning uncomfortably against the stairs. He also didn't know how he had made it to his bed in the loft, but that was where he woke up. He lay there on his back wondering what was going on. This was all so confusing. Dean wanted to hurt him, but not too badly.

This was starting to put doubt in the youngest Winchester's mind. If it were something else in his brother, why would it care how badly he got hurt?. The strangeness raised up a notch when his fingers grazed the wrap around his ribs. Why would this thing fix him up and then put him to bed?

Sam really didn't want to deal with this. His head was throbbing mercilessly, which didn't help clear the muddy reality around him. He wanted nothing more than to give up and comply to Dean until his father returned. It would have been easier, but he couldn't. He was raised to fight and that's what he would do. He knew he could never win against Dean, but he could never look his father in the eye again if he just gave up. Whether it meant more pain or not, he would see this through.

The young hunter groaned as he rolled out of bed and stood on shaky feet. He wrapped one arm around his aching side and gripped the wall with the other. He crept to the railing and peeked over the side to look down into the living room. It was empty. He stilled, listening to the sounds the house made. He heard nothing else.

Feeling that it was safe he quietly made his way down the stairs, holding his breath every time a step creaked underneath his weight. He sighed in relief when he reached the bottom. Quickly, he made his way into the living room. His mind was focused on one thing: the phone. John's cell number came quickly and soon Sam was impatiently waiting for the line to pick up.

He thought he would cry when his father answered, _"Winchester."_

"Dad?"

_"Sam? What's wrong?"_

"You need to come home!"

_"Why? What happened?"_

"I need-" Sam yelped as the phone was grabbed from his hand and he was shoved from behind. He landed on his knees, before scrambling to his feet. Whipping around, he saw Dean with a murderous look on his face.

"Dad?" Dean's voice was calm and did not betray the anger in his eyes. He listened before saying, "No dad. Everything's fine. Sam's just over reacting." He paused again, "There's a ghost. We must have missed it the first time we went through the house. He thinks we need your help. I'm pretty sure we can handle it by ourselves... Yeah we're both fine. It just scared him a little...Sure you can talk to him." Dean held the phone out to his little brother. He pulled it back a little when Sam reached for it and glared.

Sam knew exactly what the look meant and he nodded. He took the re-offered phone and cleared his throat, "Hello?"

_"Are you okay Sam?"_

"Yeah... Everything's fine."

_"You sure?"_

"M'hmm."

_"Okay. Put your brother back on."_

"Yes sir." Sam whispered in defeat before holding the phone out to Dean.

Dean smirked at him, "Yeah, dad?" He listened for a moment and then his grin grew, "Sure you can stay for a few more days. We'll be fine...Okay. Bye, dad."

Sam felt his heart sink even lower as Dean turned the phone off. The despair from this latest blow was too much to handle. He'd failed and it only served to piss Dean off even more. What was he going to do?

The younger boy sucked in a noisy breath and took a step back as Dean started towards him. A frightening pang of familiarity hit him as Dean backed him up against the wall.

"Now what the hell do you think you were going to accomplish by that, Sammy."

Sam chuckled nervously, "Well, it was worth a shot."

Dean's voice turned cold and deadly, "No. It really wasn't."

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	5. In Your Hands

A/N: Again, you people are awesome. I cannot say it enough.

One comment I kept getting is about the short chapters. I apologize for these. I'm not a fan of packing stuff in. I mostly write for my own amusement and I'm kind of just too lazy to add in more detail. I'm sorry about that and I hope you don't hold it against me too much.

Another comment was about how confusing Dean is. I wanted to keep some slight guessing as to what's going on. After this chapter there will be no more guessing, though. Enjoy the story!

See first chapter for disclaimer.

Warnings: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 5: In Your Hands

Dean pulled his fist back and slammed it forward, intending to show his brother just how stupid he had been to call their father. He yelled out in pain when his fist hit the hard wall in front of him, where Sam's head had just been.

Sam's quick reflexes made him duck and he was now scrambling around his older brother, looking for an escape. His flight ended when Dean grabbed his arms from behind and threw him up against the wall. Sam moaned through gritted teeth as his ribs screamed at the abuse they were taking. He wasn't given too much time to wallow in the familiar pain.

Suddenly Dean grabbed Sam's right arm and again twisted it behind his back. This time he didn't let up until he heard a pop and Sam yell. From there he tossed the boy to the floor and watched as he curled in on himself.

Dean shook out his aching hand as he stated, "Stupid, little brother. Real stupid."

Sam stayed silent, focusing all of his attention on breathing through the pain and hoping that Dean would go easier on him if he didn't fight.

Fury started to work its way into the older hunter's voice as he started ranting, "What is wrong with you? Why do you have to keep pushing and pushing? You're never satisfied, no matter what dad and I do for you! Jesus, Sam! When I took you upstairs I told you to stay put and you can't even do that! Why can't you just listen and take a damn order for once?" Dean paused for a moment, waiting. When Sam still didn't talk Dean grabbed his good arm and pulled him up into a sitting position. He demanded angrily, "Answer me!"

"I don't know what you want!" Sam yelled. He was terrified. He couldn't wrap his head around the person, or thing, in front of him. Not knowing what to expect was what scared him the most.

"Tell me that you'll stop being such a selfish bastard and you'll start thinking about everyone else. You hate hunting, we got that! But we all have to do things we don't like. We suck it up and we deal with it. You need to grow up, Sam!"

"I do hunt! I do what you and dad want!"

Dean shook his head, shaking Sam in the process, "You hunt, but your head's not in it. It's never been in it."

"Why does that matter?"

"It matters because when you're not focused on hunting, people die. What happened back at that house will happen again. I could have died back there, Sam!"

"Don't you think I know that?"

"Well obviously you don't care!"

"I-"

"Shut up, Sam! Just shut up and listen, for once in your life! You are useless to us right now. You are going to get me and dad killed!" Dean stopped there, breathing hard. After a few minutes he started again, this time calmer, "Okay, how about this? What are you gonna do when we're not there to protect you?"

"What?" Sam asked, his brow furrowed. The intensity of the argument and the sudden change of topic had caught him off guard. He wasn't sure what to think and he was more than a little scared to talk, lest he attract Dean's anger again.

"You can't protect yourself! What are you going to do when somethin' in the dark has got you cornered and dad and I aren't there to save your ass?"

"I don't... I don't need you to protect me."

It took a moment for Dean to reply. He just starred at him and then he gave off a disgusted scoff, "You think you can survive with your life in your hands? Do ya?"

Sam swallowed thickly and slowly nodded.

"Okay." Dean nodded before pulling Sam to his feet and dragging him out of the room.

The younger boy didn't put up any fight, his remaining energy going to keeping himself on his feet. He let his brother take him into the kitchen where the older Winchester grabbed a coil of rope. When he saw this Sam started to struggle, albeit weakly.

Dean put a stop to the squirming by twisting Sam's right arm behind him. He ignored the pained sounds coming from his brother and brought the left arm back, tying the wrists together tightly.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked, fear tinting his voice.

"This is for your own good, Sammy. You need to learn this lesson the hard way and I'm the one that's got to teach you." Dean replied. He picked up the remaining rope and lead Sam back to the living room, one hand never leaving its grip on Sam's arm.

The house they were presently staying in gave off the impression of a large cabin, including wooden rafters running across the room. Most were helping to support the loft, but others served as decoration. It was to one of those that Dean went. He let go of Sam, but never let him out of his sight. The spare rope was thrown up over one of the rafters and tightly tied off.

Dean made a show of slowly tying the free end into a noose.

Sam gaped at the rope. He slowly shook his head. "No." came out in a whisper.

Dean quickly latched onto Sam's arm, sensing that the younger boy would not go easily. He was right.

Sam put all of his effort into keeping his distance from his brother's newest torture device. "No. Dean don't do this! Dean stop! Please!"

The older Winchester hooked his foot around the leg of a short table and pulled it over. He stepped onto it, pulling Sam up with him. It wasn't hard to overpower the injured teenager and he soon had the noose tightened around his neck.

Dean jumped down and readjusted the rope so Sam was standing on his toes, or else he was choking. He stood back and looked for a moment before saying, "Your life is in your hands now." With that said he walked to the door and left Sam in the house, alone.

Time seemed to crawl for Sam. He tried not to think about the coarse rope around his neck or how if he fell there would be no one there to help. He focused on keeping his balance on the shaky table and keeping his toes away from the edge. When this was all over he would have to remember to tighten the screws holding the table together. To hell with that. The thing was being tossed.

He growled at himself when his body shook and he had to take a small step closer to the edge to keep his balance. It was too close. There was no way he could stay up much longer. His body wanted sleep. His legs were burning and his right shoulder was slowly going numb. _'Not good.' _he thought. He was starting to regret answering Dean's question.

The only good thing to come from it was his confirmation that it really wasn't Dean. He was sure now, and nothing could change his mind or make him doubt it. Dean would never risk his life like this.

Sam started to panic when his breath hitched. It made his chest ache and his whole body jerk, bringing him even closer to the edge. All of a sudden he couldn't breathe!

Black spots danced in front of his eyes and he barely noticed his toes slipping off of the side. His last thought before blacking out was that he was going to die, and hopefully, his father would help Dean.

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	6. Welcome Home

A/N: With my one track mind I forgot to thank a very important person. My beta, Irish Anor. Betas are very helpful and I would recommend that everyone get one. They're well worth it. Enjoy the chapter.

I lied about finding out what's going on this chapter. It's gonna take a few more. Sorry...I love you all.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

Warning: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

The moment you all have been waiting for! Drum roll please...

Chapter 6: Welcome Home

John put the Impala into park and cut the engine. He fought the urge to stay in the car and just sit for a moment. Resting for a bit sounded good, but it wasn't the time for that. Something was wrong, he was sure of it.

Something in him had ignored Dean's words on the phone and had focused on Sam's voice. Sam was stubborn, much like John himself. The younger boy rarely asked for help, especially from his father. Sam was scared, and that scared the older Winchester. He hated hearing fear in his boys' voices. Sam's was the worst, though. It just killed John to hear his little Sammy afraid--not when he could help it.

The older hunter hoped like hell that he was wrong. All he wanted was to walk into the house and find that his sons had everything under control. It would make him feel a little foolish for rushing home when he had told Dean he was staying in town, but he would prefer that over finding the boys in over their heads. He had complete faith in Dean, but even the great John Winchester needed help every now and then. Hopefully that wasn't the case this time and Sam was just over reacting on the phone.

Dropping his bags by the door, John's attention was pulled towards the living room. He could just hear the soft sounds that didn't belong in a normal house, or their house for that matter. He slowly walked to the doorway, but stopped dead in his tracks. This was not something he would have imagined finding. He froze for seconds, but looking back it had seemed like hours.

Shaking himself, John rushed to the aid of his youngest son. He jumped onto the table while hooking an arm around Sam's waist, pulling him up and back onto the trembling surface. He shook the boy, trying to wake him, but with no luck. Unable to rouse him, the father was forced to keep one arm supporting the teenager while cutting the rope with the other. It took longer than he would have liked, but soon enough John was slowly lowering Sam onto the floor.

John quickly loosened the noose and whipped it away. He patted the boy's cheek, gently at first, but then harder, "Sammy? Sam!"

The pitiful moan that came through Sam's lips was quite possibly one of the most beautiful things his father had ever witnessed. His fluttering eyelids took a close second.

"Sammy, are you with me?"

Sam groaned as consciousness came back to him. There was someone talking to him, calling his name. Was the afterlife supposed to be this annoying? It all came rushing back when he opened his eyes and started coughing. He remembered now why his body hurt so much and why he wasn't supposed to be feeling anything right now. Had Dean come back?

"Sam?"

That wasn't Dean. "Dad?" he was able to squeeze through his aching throat as soon as the coughing subsided.

John winced at the raspy sound but appreciated it none-the-less. He put a hand on the side of Sam's face when the boy's focus started to waver, "Sammy look at me. Do you think you can move?"

"Dunno."

"I'm gonna help you up, okay." John didn't wait for an answer, not expecting his son to be able to give him much help. He slowly pulled him up into a sitting position and cut the ropes around his wrists. He supported him through the short walk to the couch and laid him down. He sat down on the edge and looked his son over for the first time. His anger bubbled at what he found.

Sam's face was covered in bruises and his bottom lip had split open. John could feel numerous bumps along the back and front of his son's skull. Moving down towards the bare chest he could see the rapidly forming bruises around his throat. More purple and blue marks were on his right shoulder and down his arms to meet the cuts and abrasions around his wrists. But it was his side and chest that stood out the most. After unwrapping it John found dark bruises fanning out from the boy's side, hiding how much internal damage, he didn't know.

John put a hand on the Sam's forehead as the teenager's breath hitched painfully. He gave him a moment before asking, "Sammy, did the spirit do this?"

Sam weakly shook his head.

"What did." The answer was another shock.

"Dean." Sam said, his voice shaking. He continued, "He's not himself. Something's wrong!"

"He did this?"

Sam nodded. He repeated, "He's not himself."

"How long."

"After you left."

"Right after I left?" At Sam's nod, "He didn't leave the house at all in between?"

"No."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. He left."

"Okay." John said, intending to end the conversation for now. He could see that Sam wasn't up to it and he needed to be tended to. They could deal with Dean later. Sam had other ideas.

"You need to find him!"

"I will, later."

"No, now!"

"Sam-"

"What if it makes him do something stupid? We can't just leave him out there!"

"And I can't leave you here! Not like this. I'll find him, but I need to take care of you first. Okay?" John said. He was stating more than asking. They both knew the decision was final.

"'Kay." Sam answered, letting the subject drop. He was just relieved to finally be able to let go and leave it in his father's capable hands. Everything would be okay now.

TBC

A/N: This is my first Supernatural fic, so please be gentle. Criticisms are welcome, but please no flames. Tell me what ya all think.


	7. Feeling It

A/N: Again thank you all so much for reviewing. You guys are amazing. Again, thanks to the beta. I love you lots. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry in advance 'cause it's kind of short. Please do not shoot me.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 7: Feeling It

Sam woke slowly, trying to get his bearings together before he opened his eyes. When he did finally look around he felt a jolt of panic. He was still on the couch, but he was alone. He breathed a sigh of relief when his father came into the room.

"Sam? Are you okay?" John asked. He was immediately concerned when he saw his son's awake, but pale face.

The boy countered his father's question with one of his own, "Have you found Dean?"

"Didn't have to. He came back about ten minutes ago."

"He did?" Sam's face seemed to get even whiter.

"I have him secured upstairs. He won't be wakin' up for a while. I know what you mean, though. Your brother definitely wasn't himself." John fought back the urge to shudder when he remembered Dean's excitement when recounting the 'lesson' he gave to Sam.

"Do you think it's Dean, or something else?" Sam asked. He was pretty sure it was something in his brother's body, but he wanted his father's opinion.

"I think it's Dean. Just, not our Dean."

"Do you think he's okay?" Sam's voice was small when he asked and his damaged vocal cords didn't help the sound any.

'Not if he knows what he's been doin' to you.' John thought, knowing better than to say it out loud. He settled on, "I hope so, Sammy." He sighed, rubbing his hand over tired eyes.

"What are we gonna do about it?"

John looked at his son and felt a deep sadness. The teenager should not have been sitting there, holding back a grimace as he tried to find a way to de-evil his brother. It just wasn't fair. But John couldn't think like that. Life could not be fair if he wanted his boys to survive it. That's just the way it was for their small family.

"You up to helping me?" he asked.

Sam started to nod his head, but putting his hand to his head, he thought better of it. "Yeah."

"Okay."

Hours had passed with Sam looking over books and his father calling his contacts. They were making progress with what Sam had remembered and the research they were making. The silence they had been working in was broken by a growling noise. John's head snapped to where the sound was coming from. Sam. The boy was propped up on a bunch of pillows with a large book in his lap. He was giving his stomach a quizzical look.

John could have kicked himself when the sound was repeated, "When was the last time you ate?"

"I dunno." Sam answered, rubbing his stomach with the hand that wasn't bound up in a sling.

John grit his teeth at his own stupidity. One hell of a father he made. He got up and reached for the book his son had been reading, "Okay. Break time."

"I can still-"

John cut off the protest. He sat the closed book down well out of Sam's reach. "You are going to eat something and then rest. No arguments."

"Yes, sir."

A sandwich and a bottle of water were the best he could offer, but Sam finished neither.

"Sam, by eating, I meant eating enough to keep you going."

"I don't feel so good." Sam whispered, sliding further down into the pillows.

"What, like nauseous?"

"Yeah." came his miserable reply.

John frowned, not liking it, but not knowing how to help. He hated feeling helpless. "Okay Sammy." He took the plate away, but left the water. He intended to get more of it into the injured boy.

John sent up a silent thanks to whoever was listening when he returned to find Sam asleep. While he was thankful that his son was finding a reprieve, he was not happy to lose the boy's company. It just gave him more time to think of how badly he had screwed up, and how it had almost cost Sam his life. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if he had come even five minutes later. He felt sick when he remembered wanting to stop for gas before coming home. It would have killed him to find his baby dead, hanging from the ceiling.

The older hunter's heart was already hurting from thinking about how it all could have been avoided. He was sure now that whatever happened to Dean had happened on their last hunt, most likely when he had blacked out. If John had stuck to his guns and stayed home he would have realized that something was wrong. That one simple act could have saved both of his sons a great deal of pain. He definitely wasn't getting the 'Father of the Year Award' anytime soon.

With a sigh John turned away from Sam and back to his research. He couldn't look at the boy without seeing the bruises covering his young face. The bruises brought on the guilt and John couldn't focus with that kind of guilt gnawing at his soul. If he wanted to help both of his sons he needed to save Dean. The rest could be fixed later.

TBC


	8. Curses

See first chapter for disclaimer.

Warning: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 8: Curses

Dean had woken up some time ago. It was hard to miss. John had winced and muttered about how he was thankful that the neighbors weren't close. He then headed for the stairs and, though it took some time, he was able to stop Dean's shouting.

By that time, Sam was also awake and pouring over books again. They were making little progress and Sam didn't want to stop, but he couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure why, but hearing Dean's angry voice had put knots in his stomach. He kept telling himself that it wasn't his brother, but it didn't help. Even though it wasn't Dean, it was still something that had hurt him, and had taken a strange amount of pleasure in doing it. He couldn't just forget what had happened to him. It was amazing how strong a memory of pain could be.

When John had come back in he could clearly see the fear in his son's expression and did something he wasn't comfortable with, but found necessary anyway. Wrapping his arms around trembling shoulders, he pulled his son close to him and just held him.

The younger hunter hadn't realized how badly he needed it until he receive the tangible comfort from John. Sam put his free arm around his father's waist. He buried his face in the soft folds of the older man's shirt and breathed in his scent, finding comfort in it.

"It's going to be okay, Sammy." John assured the boy, rubbing his back gently. He felt Sam nod and then mumble something. He pulled back slightly, "What did you say?"

"It's Sam."

John laughed and patted Sam's good shoulder. Giving it a squeeze he said, "I guess your feeling better, huh?"

"Yeah... dad?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll get him back right?"

"Definitely."

"It's just... we're not finding anything."

"We will."

"How do you know?" Sam asked.

Sam's voice made John think of when the boy was five and asked endless questions about anything and everything. It had driven him and Dean crazy, trying to keep their patience with the boy.

"I just do." That had been one of the father's favorite answers.

"That's cheating." Sam replied in turn. He easily remembered the game of words he would play with his father, seeing how long he could go before the older man got completely frustrated.

"Not gonna work this time, Sammy. Get back to your book." John said with mock sternness.

"Yes, sir."

John had brought him another sandwich not too long ago, telling him that if he was well enough to complain about his nickname he could finish the sandwich this time. The older man had made sure he was eating it, but allowed him to keep the book. He was just taking a bite of the second piece when he pushed the book away. Sam set the food down and rubbed his eyes, trying to get the strain of reading the small print out of them. He was wondering if it was even worth it, looking through the old books. He was about to shut it when something caught his eye.

"Dad."

"You're finishing the damn sandwich, Sam." John ordered, not even turning to look at his son.

"No. I think I found something."

This got the older Winchester's attention. He leaned over Sam's shoulder to get a look at the book, "What is it?"

"Here." Sam said, pointing to the title of the chapter. The book was about curses, one of the more informative and reliable that John owned. The chapter was about houses.

John skimmed over the page. He chewed on his lower lip as the pieces started to fall into place.

Sam continued to read it to himself and when he was done looked up at his father, "Did you see any statue in the room Dean was in?"

"No, but I really wasn't looking. Did you?"

Sam shook his head.

"We're gonna have to go back there." John said. He thought back to the house and was disappointed with himself that he hadn't come to this conclusion first. It all made sense. The former owner was into some nasty stuff, and paranoid as hell. It made sense that he would put a trap in the house. And even though he had died long ago, the curse was still there, waiting for Dean to come and set it off.

"Why?"

"First I need to find what he touched, if he even touched anything. We may be going in the wrong direction, but it's worth a shot. And if we are right, we're going to need him there, in the house when it's 'cleansed'."

"Okay." Sam said. His eyes shot up to look at the loft, "He won't be wakin up soon... will he?"

"No."

Sam nodded, "Hurry."

John cursed at the house as he pulled up to it. He cursed at the woman in front of it too. He got out of the car and started towards her, talking quietly to himself, "What the hell does she want?"

Her back was to John, acting like she hadn't even heard him drive in. She had curly red hair down to the small of her back, and wore a thick flowing skirt and white peasant top. She held a small bag over one shoulder and a worn book in her arms.

John narrowed his eyes at her. He decided to use intimidation to get rid of her, "Hey! What are you doing here?"

She finally turned to look at him, but showed no other reaction.

"This is private property!" He growled at her. He didn't have time for this. His boys didn't have time for this.

"Well, it isn't yours."

"It sure as hell isn't yours, darlin'."

"Don't call me darlin', hunter."

TBC


	9. Kara

A/N: Okay I just watched Flight of the Phoenix and nearly cried. I won't say anything in case you haven't seen it, but be warned it is sad. Anyway, you people are my heros. I love you all to death. Please keep reviewing, I live for them. Last but definitely not least to Irish Anor. I heart you so much!

P.S. No Sam or Dean in this chapter, but I hope you don't hate it too much.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

Warning: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 9: Kara (I put her in to shake things up for the Winchester family. I hope you find her as much fun as I did.)

"What did you just say?" John asked, confusion settling in. Had she just called him 'hunter'?

The woman laughed, sounding generally amused by his question. She shook her head at him as she replied, "Is it really so hard to believe that your reputation proceeds you, John Winchester?"

"Who are you, and how do you know who I am?" John demanded, going on the defensive. He wasn't comfortable about this strange woman knowing who he was, when he knew nothing about her.

"My name is Kara. And as I said, you have quite the reputation in the underground."

"The underground?"

Her face took on a thoughtful expression, "It is a surprise that you've never heard of it. We've certainly heard of you."

"Yeah, you keep saying that. And as much as I'd like to hear more, I don't have time for this."

"You're hunting what is in this house."

"Nope. It's already gone." John replied. He turned his back to Kara, walking towards the house. He hoped that she would get the hint and go away. He had already wasted too much time talking to her, and even though he wanted to hear all of what she knew about him, it didn't take precedence over his sons.

"Then what are you going in there for?" She asked, following him.

He turned around quickly to face her, making Kara step back in surprise. He repeated, "I don't have time for this." It came out in a growl, showing that he was truly getting frustrated with her. Finding one son near death and the other possessed was fraying his nerves. This woman's knowledge of him was not helping.

"I can help."

"How can you help me? Go away before you get hurt!" He said turning away again. He wanted to add, 'It'll most likely be by me if you don't leave me alone.' But he kept his mouth shut.

"You're here because of the curse, yes?" Kara waited until she had his attention before continuing, "Let me guess, one of your boys stepped into it. Was it Sam or Dean?" She stumbled back as he took a threatening step closer. She was starting to wonder if it had been a good idea to bring up his children.

"What the hell do you know about it?"

"I know that there is a curse here. A pretty strong one. I can feel it. Am I right? About your sons?"

John swallowed hard, giving her a slight nod.

"I can help you." Kara assured softly.

"How?" John's voice wasn't hard or angry this time. He believed her, and was interested in how she could be of service to them.

"Anyone can set a curse, but not many can remove one, and cleanse the surrounding objects and people. I can do that. Please, let me help." she pleaded.

"Why are you even offering?" John asked, wary of the woman's sudden appearance. He didn't want to take the chance of trusting her if she was dangerous.

Kara suddenly blushed and smiled shyly at her shoes. She hid soft giggles behind her hand. When she looked back up she gave him a sheepish apology, "I'm sorry. It's just... you're kind of a hero where I come from. You've done a great job of staying off normal people's radar, but word kind of spreads among certain people. You've done a lot of great things."

John couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed at the stranger's praise. He took the chance to have a long look at her. She looked incredibly young at the moment--no older than Dean. It was an amazing change of character. He could see very few similarities between the calm woman who had first exchanged words with him and the girl that was now hero-worshiping him. He could hardly see her as a threat now.

"Well, if you're done figuring out where my loyalties lie, could we head inside and find this demon statue." Kara recommended, her composure returning instantly and without warning.

"How do you know it's a demon statue?" John asked. His confusion over the woman's strange characteristics seemed to rise every time she opened her mouth. It was no different for her next answer.

Kara looked up and took a deep breath, bringing it in through her nose, "I can smell it. It reeks!" She looked back at him and gestured to the house, "Shall we?" She didn't wait for an answer, but started walking.

She passed John who just stared at her, before shaking his head and following.

It had taken some time for Kara and John to get passed the rotting stairs and into the room Dean had been in. He relayed some of the more important issues, telling her how his oldest son had passed out in this room for a few minutes and then how he had been acting different ever since. He didn't elaborate, wanting to keep his personal failure private.

John led her over to the spot he had found Dean, at that time with a frantic Sam at his side. He felt a stab of guilt as he remembered his anger towards the boy. Looking back, he could reason that he was at fault as much as Sam was. He hadn't been checking in on either of his boys, instead trusting them to take care of themselves. The younger boy had definitely paid the heavier price.

"John." Kara said, bringing him out of his thoughts. She continued, "I think I found it."

"Don't!" John said, rushing forward to grab her wrist. She had her hand reaching out to touch the small statue, which had been half hidden behind books on a shelf. "Are you stupid? I thought you were supposed to be an expert!"

"Calm down! It only has room to hold one curse. It's just a regular old statue now." She said, shaking her wrist so he would let go. She added, "I _am _the expert, you know."

"I don't think we should take the risk."

"Well after you bring Dean back the curse will have to go back into the statue. And how are we going to destroy it if it's still on the bookshelf? We need to set it in a charm circle to destroy it."

He relented, "Fine."

Kara didn't even hesitate before picking the statue up and setting it in a clear space on the floor. John watched her as she took small pouches from her bag and spread the contents in a circle around the statue. He recognized some of the items, but others were a complete mystery. She did her work skillfully, as if she had done it hundreds of times before.

When she was finished she turned to him, "We will need another person to help."

"Why?"

"One to hold Dean. He will struggle. I imagine that would be your job. And another to help me perform the cleansing. I will remove the curse from Dean, but someone else must destroy statue right after. What about your other son, Sam?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"He's not exactly up to... par at the moment."

Kara stared at him, her face blank. She was expecting John to explain it to her.

"He just can't, all right. Are there any people from this _underground _that could help?"

"Not any close by. I really think that Dean's brother should do it. Trust me."

John sighed, "We should go get Dean. I'll see how Sam's doing. Maybe... he could do this."

"Good." Kara smiled.

TBC


	10. Here We go

A/N: Real life has come up and kicked me in the ass, I believe reviews would make me happier.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

Warning: Violence and slight language, but nothing too bad.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 10: Here We go

The bubbly, energetic Kara had returned on the drive back to the Winchester's house. She talked endlessly about the stories she had heard about John and his family. It surprised him to find that some of the exploits they had been credited with weren't even done by them. When he inquired about it she answered that they mostly assumed. When something supernatural went down and no one else claimed it the Winchesters were given the credit. John didn't know what to think about the whole situation. He wasn't quite comfortable with strangers keeping track of his family.

Kara would change the subject quickly, with little warning. She pressed him for more details about his involvement with the curse. He answered her questions, praying that she would soon run out of breath. John was again reminded of a younger Sam. When she asked about the younger boy, he continued to skirt around it. Why Sam couldn't help was none of her concern.

John parked the Impala close to the house, intending to get Dean out and into the car quickly. He wanted to get this over with now. He wanted Dean back and this woman out of their lives. And then he wanted to leave. He wouldn't be able to settle until each one of those was completed.

"Stay here. I'll be right back." John said. He got out of the car and jogged to the door. He opened it and went to close it behind him, but was stopped. Kara pushed her way through and into the house. He gripped the door tightly, making his knuckles white, "I told you to... where are you going?"

Kara flashed him a smile before going into the living room.

"Dad?" He could hear Sam ask from the next room.

John growled to himself softly. He could not wait to get rid of the odd woman. He shut the door and followed Kara into the living room.

Kara had her hands clasped together, looking at Sam with concern in her eyes, "Oh, you poor dear! So this is what your father meant."

Sam watched the woman with wide eyes and confusion written across his face. He dragged his gaze away from her to look up at his father. He asked again, "Dad?"

"Sam, this is Kara." He said before turning to Kara, "And I don't really appreciate you coming in here. I told you to wait in the car."

She ignored him and moved closer to Sam. She leaned down to look the teenager in eye, "Do you think that you're up to helping Dean?"

John nearly choked at her words. He could not believe she had just said that. The nerve of the woman! He had not planned on bringing Sam into this, whether he was feeling better or not. He wanted his son resting at home, where there was no possibility of Dean hurting him again. He would have throttled the woman, had Sam not grabbed his attention.

"Dean?" Sam asked her, before looking up to his father, "I can help."

"Sam-"

"What do you need me to do?"

"Sam!" John rubbed his forehead. What had they ever done to deserve this whole situation? He pointed a finger at Kara, "You! Out. Now."

Kara stood straight and readied herself for the argument, "Sam's going to need help getting to the car and you have to go get Dean."

"Sam will not need help going to the car, because Sam will not _be_ going to the car."

"Why not?" Sam asked. His brow furrowed. If he could help, why wasn't his father letting him?

"You're injured. You're not up to it."

"Well, what do I need to do?" he asked, turning back to Kara.

John silently cursed the boy's rebelliousness. His son's refusal to listen without question was coming back to bite him.

"All you need to do is shoot a gun." Kara answered.

"What? We can destroy the statue just by shooting it?" John asked, incredulous.

"With hallowed bullets, yes."

"Then why can't I shoot it? Or why can't you, for that matter? We don't need Sam."

"It needs to be done immediately or the curse will take hold and protect it. It will take too much time for either of us."

Sam pleaded the case further, "Dad, I can do this. Please. Let me help."

"Your strong arm is up in a sling, Sam." John stated, trying to come up with any excuse he could.

"I can shoot just as well with my left. You taught me that." Sam pointed out. It was the one time his father was disappointed with training his sons so much.

"I can assure you that he will be out of harms way. You and I can keep Dean occupied." Kara assured the older Winchester.

John sighed angrily. They were ganging up on him, and he didn't like it one bit. What made it even worse was that they were making sense. They would need someone else there, and Sam was the only person around to do it. He conceded, "Fine. I'm going to get Dean." He returned quickly, straining to carry his son's weight.

Kara looked up from helping Sam and gasped. Starring at the unconscious, bound man in John's arms, she asked, "Good god! What did you do to him."

John Winchester did not like having his actions questioned. His frustration was nearly at his limit with this woman. "I made sure he wouldn't be a danger to us."

Kara shook her head but didn't say another word. She took a hold of Sam's good arm and started helping him to the door.

John was glad to see that Kara had made sure Sam was properly dressed, now with a coat wrapped around his shoulders. He looked down at the shoes and stopped them, "Whoa, whoa, whoa." Kara and Sam both gave him a questioning look, so he gestured with his head to Sam's feet. The scuffed up Converses he wore were untied. He explained, "No way are we going into this with you shaky on your feet and wearing untied shoes."

Kara looked down at the shoes and said, "I'll get 'em."

As she started to kneel Sam took a faltering step backwards, "What? No. No way."

"Samuel." Kara chastised in a maternal voice.

"No way! I'm not four years old anymore." Sam stated, his pride getting the best of him. Embarrassment flushed his cheeks red at the thought off Kara tying his shoes for him.

"Sam, let her tie the damn shoes or stay here!" John ordered, continuing his struggle with getting Dean to the car. He was pleased to see Sam's shoes tied when he and Kara came out soon after. He let Kara drive while he sat in the backseat with Dean, hoping the younger man would stay unconscious until it was all over.

Sam slid into the front passenger seat and took a deep breath. He resisted the urge to look back at his brother. As Kara put the Impala in reverse he muttered, "Here we go."

TBC


	11. Secrets

A/N: Love your betas!

See first chapter for disclaimer.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 11: Secrets

"I need you to stand right over here." Kara said leading Sam to the edge of the charm circle. She reconsidered, looking at his pale face, "Maybe you should sit. Save your strength."

Sam gratefully sank to the floor, resting the heavy pistol in his lap. The trek into the house and up the stairs had taken it's toll on him, making his whole body ache. He almost regretted coming, but this was for Dean. He could suck it up if it meant getting his brother back to his normal self.

John gently laid Dean's unconscious body on the ground and made his way to Sam. Putting a hand on his son's shoulder he asked, "Are you okay, Sammy?"

"Yeah." Sam said. John nodded and was about to turn away, but Sam spoke again, "Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For this. You were right. I should have been paying more attention. If I had been checking on Dean none of this would have happened. I get it now." Sam's words spilled out, filled with remorse.

"It's over now. Okay?" John told the boy.

Sam bobbed his head, swallowing hard. He looked down to the floor saying, "Okay."

John squeezed his son's shoulder before turning away and walking back over to Dean. As he got there Kara smacked his shoulder. He looked into furious eyes, asking, "What?"

Kara stood with her hands on her hips, tapping the floor impatiently with one foot. She kept her voice to an angry whisper, "What is wrong with you? Your son was looking for comfort, and you all but told him it was his fault! How can this be his fault? Where were you when it happened?"

"Listen, I will not be told how to raise my children _by you_? Everything I do teaches them how to stay alive. Sam will learn from this, so it's not going to happen again!" John said, matching her tone with his own quiet outburst.

Kara looked as if she was going to say something else, but decided against it. She held up her battered book, "Shall we begin?" She waited for John's nod before saying to him, "Remember, you need to hold onto Dean. The curse will fight to stay in his body and this will most likely make him wake up. Don't let him get near the circle." She turned to Sam, "You need to shoot the statue precisely when it stops glowing, not sooner, not later. It's very important."

"It's going to glow? Isn't that a little cliche?" Sam asked, furrowing his eyebrows in disbelief. He could imagine it looking like some badly done special effect. He might be too busy laughing to shoot it.

Kara huffed in frustration, "What is it with you people? You're all cynics! People can be raised from the dead and ghosts can remain with the living, but unholy energy can't make objects glow? Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Whoa! Hey, I'm sorry. I was just saying. Jeez!" Sam replied, putting his good hand up in a calming manner.

John laughed, earning a glare from Kara. His earlier anger was now forgotten. It was good to see the woman getting her feathers ruffled for once, especially over such a trivial matter. He could see now that any kind of non-believers were a sore spot for her. He filed that useful piece of information away for later.

"Why don't we get started." Kara said with a sigh. "Remember what I said." She didn't wait for a reply before she started reading from the old book in her hands.

The older Winchester wasn't sure what he had expected, but it was not this. Dean immediately shot up as soon as the first words left Kara's mouth. His bound fists connected solidly with John's face. The force of the blow knocked him backwards onto the floor and away from Dean. Dean took the advantage, quickly picking out Sam and rushing towards him.

"Dad!" Sam yelled as his brother started for him. He tried to slide backwards, using his legs to push him. The pistol lay forgotten on the floor. He could never shoot his brother--even to protect himself.

Kara ignored everything, continuing to read the Latin phrases out loud. She had given the Winchesters jobs, and there was no doubt in her mind that they would complete their tasks. All she had to worry about was her own.

Dean went around the charm circle grabbing Sam by the throat and pushing him up against the wall. He held him up, a few inches off of the ground, choking the younger boy. Dean's bound hands had a surprisingly good hold around Sam's neck and no matter how much he tried the younger teenager could not squirm out.

"This is all your fault! You turned dad against me! What did you do to him?" Dean yelled in his brother's face, shaking him with each word.

Sam felt himself slide to the ground as he saw his father pulling Dean away. He coughed, trying to pull air into his already injured throat.

"Sam, the gun! Get the gun!" John yelled to his youngest as he struggled to keep Dean away from the boy. His older son was screaming again, this time unintelligibly. He let Dean go, so that he could turn him around by the shoulder and punch him in the face. Dean went down and didn't get up. John turned to see Sam on his knees, holding the gun steady, aiming at the statue.

Sam took a small moment to feel impressed by the red light coming from the statue. It wasn't nearly as corny as he thought it would be. He was quickly back to business though, pulling the trigger as the light blinked out. The bullet hit the middle of the statue, sending tiny chunks of marble flying around the room. He kept staring at where the cause of this nightmare had once been, until his father gently pulled the gun from his lax grip.

"Are you all right?" John asked the teenager softly. He looked at the newest marks around Sam's neck and blew out an angry breath.

Sam didn't answer, but slowly made his way over to Dean. He looked him over, noting the new bruise forming on his jaw. Sam looked at his father, then Kara, "Is he okay now?"

Kara nodded, "He should be just fine. He's going to be rather confused when he wakes up, but that can be fixed."

Sam paused in untying Dean to look up at her again, "Why would he be confused?"

"He's not going to remember any of this. I'd definitely be confused." Kara answered.

"He's not?"

"No. The curse took over, pushed him aside. Dean kind of, just, blacked out. He's probably not going to be feeling so great when you tell him what he's been up to, though."

Sam shook his head, "We're not telling him."

"Sam-" John started.

"No. Dean is going to hate himself. He didn't do any of this, so why should he have to suffer?"

"He'll want to know what happened to you, Sam."

"We can tell him the spirit got me before you killed it."

"He's going to be missing a few days."

"Dean never knows what the date is anyway. Dad, he's going to sulk and not want to come near me. I don't want that. I just want him to be back to normal. Please!" Sam pleaded. He tried giving his dad the 'puppy dog' eyes, as Dean had come to call them. He was never sure if it worked on his father, but it was worth a shot.

John sighed. Sam was making sense. There was no need to hurt Dean for something he hadn't done. It would be a lot easier to get past this if they didn't have te deal with Dean's guilt in the mix. He just hoped that it wouldn't come back to bite them. "Fine. We won't tell him."

"Thank you." Sam said gratefully. He looked back down at his brother, praying that what the curse made him do would always be a secret from him.

TBC


	12. Back to Normal

A/N: I had some complaints about Dean not remembering and Sam not saying anything about it. Please have faith in me, I did it for a reason. Trust in the author, the author is good. Peace out.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

My Brother's Keeper

Chapter 12: Back to Normal

"So, what do you think this curse was about? Why did it make Dean come after me?" Sam asked. He was laying on the couch again. John and Kara were seated in the living room with him. Kara had come back to the house, wanting to make sure that the curse was really gone before she left. John had taken Dean back upstairs and put him in his bed. Whether a result of the curse or his father's left hook, Dean had yet to wake up.

"Curses can make a person do many things they wouldn't usually do. Maybe it was just because he was around you." Kara answered.

"He was with dad the whole night before he was with me."

"Well, no offense to you Sam, but I don't think your brother could take on the great John Winchester. I doubt he would even try." Kara said with an honest smile. She had given up on being angry with the two Winchesters and was now quite joyful.

Sam grinned, "Yeah. That's true." His father's sudden change of topics quickly sobered him.

"Are you going to be able to keep this from him." John asked quietly. It was something he had wondered about the entire drive back. He hadn't missed the looks of fear that had crossed Sam's face whenever his brother was mentioned. The younger boy was afraid of what Dean had done to him, and rightly so. John just wanted to know that they weren't going to be lying to Dean only to have him notice Sam's reluctance to be around his brother.

Sam looked at his father with a pained expression. He hadn't thought about that. He wasn't sure that he could hide what he had gone through from Dean. Sam still felt a small pang of fear whenever he even heard his brother's name. It scared him, knowing how much damage his older brother could actually do to him. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he would try. Sam would make it work. He had to.

"I can do it." Sam spoke in a confident voice.

John didn't seem convinced, but trusted his son to know what he was doing. The older hunter would be there to help, if need be, but would let Sam do what he needed to do.

Sam's attention turned to Kara. He was smiling again, but this time it was mischievous, "Are you sure you want to stick around until Dean wakes up. It might not be pretty."

"What do you mean?" Kara asked, a confused smile gracing her lips.

Sam shook his head and chuckled, "Dean is just gonna _love_ you."

"Sam." John chastised his son, "Don't scare her."

"Why... why would that scare me?"

The youngest Winchester winced, putting his arm around his ribs. Trying to hold in his amusement was only causing him pain. He bit his lip, attempting to contain the mirth and the discomfort while he spoke, "No reason. Forget I even said anything."

Kara frowned, "No. Why did you say that?" She looked at the father and son, both conspicuously looking in any direction but hers. "No, no, no! You can't do that. Tell me what you meant."

Both John and Sam would have continued to deny her, but sound from the stairs caught their attention. John immediately knew the footsteps belonged to Dean and he turned his focus back to Sam. The boy's face was blank but once his eyes found his father's, he smiled and nodded. John smiled back. Sam knew what he was doing.

Dean came into the living room, looking very much like he had just woken up from a long nap. His eyes were half closed as he rubbed his hair. The action only made his already messy hair stick up in even more angles. His hand moved down to hold his bruised jaw and he groaned. "What the hell happened?" Dean asked John, his voice still rough from sleep.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty awakes." Sam said playfully. He hoped the words had covered the sound of his pounding heart. He was trying not to show how truly afraid he was.

His brother's small joke garnered Dean's attention. His eyes widened as he looked over the injured boy, "What happened to you."

"What do you remember." John asked his oldest, taking the situation out of Sam's hands, giving the boy some time to collect himself.

"Searching for those crazy guy's bones with you and Sam. Why?"

"You got knocked out. By the spirit."

"I did?" Dean asked, absentmindedly rubbing his head again.

"Yeah. Then it went after Sam. I salted and burnt the bones, then got you two out of there." John explained. He wasn't entirely comfortable about lying to Dean, but knew that it was what Sam wanted. After all the teenager had been through, his father could at least give him that.

Dean took a moment to absorb everything and then focused on his little brother. "You okay?" Concern showed clearly on his face.

"Yeah. I'm good." Sam said with a smile. He was just fine now. He wasn't stupid enough to think that he would be comfortable in Dean's presence from now on, but he was hopeful. As long as Dean was back to normal, Sam could move on.

Dean nodded, not really accepting his brother's answer. Sam was still injured, and that was never good. His gaze slowly slid over to the stranger sitting on the other side of the room. Dean's eyes narrowed, gauging the woman to see if she was a threat. "Who are you?"

She smiled brightly, "I'm Kara. I was at the house. I helped your father get you and Sam home."

Dean grinned, noticeably becoming more alert, "My knight in shining armor, huh?" His grin grew even more as she giggled and blushed.

"No, really it was nothing!"

"Oh, don't be so modest. I just have to thank you from the bottom of my heart, helping dad take care of Sammy like that. It takes a _very_ special person to be so giving." Dean said, propping himself on the arm of the chair Kara was sitting in.

Sam hid his face in his hand. Only Dean could lay it on that thick and have a woman buy it. He could be unbelievably charming when he wanted to and Sam had never seen him shot down once. Being a member of the same sex, it had quite the opposite effect on him. He was trying his hardest not to giggle, or upset his ribs any more than he already had.

John cleared his throat. Much more of watching this and he would be laughing right along with his youngest son. It would be best to end it soon, "Dean, why don't you take Kara into town, or where ever she needs to go."

Kara shook her head, "Oh no. That's not necessary. I'll be walking."

"From here? We're in the middle of nowhere. Besides, you two could... talk some more." Sam said with a bright smile. He wanted Dean to at least experience one of Kara's strange mood swings before she left. Sam wondered if Dean would think he was wasting his smooth talking skills after one of those episodes. He usually tried to stay away from the crazy chicks, and Kara held onto _that_ title with vigor.

"No. It's quite all right. You could walk me to the door, however." Kara said, getting to her feet.

As they left the room, Dean asked, "Do you have to leave so soon?"

"I believe I have been here long enough. It's time to move on, besides, I can't stand to see your father for much longer."

"Come on, he's not that bad."

"Oh no. That's not it." Kara leaned in close and whispered, "I know he could never... feel such things for me, but I cannot help my own feelings."

Dean raised his eyebrows, "Excuse me." Had he just heard her right?

Kara held her hands to her heart, "Tell your father that... that he had me at hello. And I can never stop loving him." With that she whipped the door open and was gone.

Dean stood, staring at the wall behind where Kara had just been standing. He shuddered before heading back into the living room. "Gross."

"What?" John asked.

"She's _weird_."

John sighed in bliss, "And she's gone."

"Where'd she come from, anyways."

"I don't know. I don't care."

A few moments of comfortable silence filled the room. Dean broke it, "I'm hungry."

John rolled his eyes, getting to his feet. "You're always hungry, Dean." "

"Hey! I'm a growing boy, I need nutrients."

"Aren't there health studies on when people are supposed to stop growing? I think you're already there."

"Health studies have never met Dean Winchester. Besides, it's done by doctors, and they're all quacks anyway." Dean said, heading for the kitchen.

John followed, calling back to Sam, "Do you want anything?"

"No." Sam said with a smile. He had missed Dean's joking nature. Now with Dean back to normal, it was all just a nightmare, and nightmares could be forgotten, with time.

TBC

A/N: One more chapter to go!


	13. Epilogue

A/N: This is it! I figured I would make this short and sweet, get to the point and get it out. Thank you all for sticking through this with me. You definitely made my first time with the Winchesters amazing! Thank you to Irish Anor for being my beta. Again have faith, I've got something in the works.

See first chapter for disclaimer.

My Brother's Keeper

Epilogue

Dean lay on the motel bed beside Sam. He lazily tossed a ball up in the air, as Sam flipped through channels on the television. It had been about two weeks since he had woken up with a headache to an injured brother and a crazy chick in his living room. They had left the house soon after that, his father mumbling something about being there too long. They were staying in motel rooms for now, continuing to travel across the southern states.

Sam was nearly healed and everything that had happened was quickly becoming just a memory. Neither Dean's father nor his little brother offered up any more detail about what had happened, and Dean didn't ask. The Winchesters just didn't talk about some things. If both John and Sam were fine with that, so was Dean.

What Dean did question was his brother's subtle character changes. While the quirks were small, they were quite noticeable to Dean's watchful eye. The younger boy was very alert now, always examining his surrounding carefully. He made sure he could not be snuck up on anymore.

Another thing to consider was his brother's recurring nightmares. Sam had always had nightmares, starting the day they had lost their mother. It was just a fact of life. At first Dean had tried to ignore them. That was, after all, what Sam had asked him to do some time ago. The youngest Winchester was tired of being babied for something so embarrassing. This time was different though. Sam had all but begged Dean to stay with him through these latest string of night terrors. Dean could only guess that Sam just wanted to know his brother was there for him.

These things made Dean wonder about what had happened. It obviously had quite an effect on their small family. While he would have felt a lot more comfortable knowing everything that had happened, he wasn't quite willing to bring it up. Not talking about things had worked out well for Dean so far, and who was he to mess that up?

Dean turned his attention back to the tv. Daytime television sucked. Sam's moping didn't help the situation. The teenager was not happy about the moving, which meant no school. He had grumbled before they left about how he had done an essay for nothing. Dean had told him it was his own fault for doing the work in the first place.

Dean watched his brother for a moment before saying, "You ever notice how there's a lot of action and adventure stories centered around brothers. You know, like one evil brother oppressing the other. And the good brother is always fighting the evil one, whether protecting the world from him or trying to save him from himself. If one of us were evil who do you think it would be?"

Sam was silent for a moment and then, "Did you just use the word 'oppressing'?"

"Dude, I'm being serious! Which one of us would be evil?'

The younger boy smiled at his brother, "Not you."

"What! Why not? I could be evil."

Sam shook his head, "But you'd never hurt me." He never lost the soft smile.

The words and expression were lost on Dean and the moment quickly passed. "Well there are definitely days I wanna hurt you."

"Oh yeah? And when is that?"

"When you're being an annoying little bitch. So basically, every day."

John stood in the bathroom doorway, watching the exchange. He felt a swell of pain and pride when he caught his youngest son's eyes. The boy just smiled at him and continued the banter with his brother.

The End


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